Thomas Uram, a dedicated promoter of numismatics, is the recipient of the first-ever Chester L. Krause Memorial Distinguished Service Award, the American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) highest honor.
The award will be presented at the Chicago World’s Fair of Money® (August 16-20). The ANA Board of Governors made the decision to rename the accolade – formerly known as the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award for Distinguished Service – at its April meeting to honor the memory and contributions of the renowned numismatic publisher and to name Uram as its first recipient.
Uram has been a stalwart supporter not only of the hobby, but of the ANA, which he joined as a Young Numismatist in 1974, and of the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists (PAN), of which he is currently the president. He has served on the ANA board, as chair of two ANA committees, and as the assistant host club chair for the Pittsburgh World’s Fair of Money.
In 2012, the Pennsylvania resident was appointed to the United States Mint’s Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC). According to former United States Mint Director David J. Ryder, Uram’s “enthusiasm for numismatics and his efforts to strengthen the interface between the Mint and the ANA have been unceasing” and resulted in an elevated relationship between the two organizations.
According to Ryder, Uram was instrumental in the passage of the 1921 Silver Dollar Coin Anniversary Act, which authorized the minting of 2021 Morgan and Peace dollars. “It was Tom who first brought this important coin program to my attention, and his leadership was the single most driving force in getting this legislation passed,” said Ryder. “I can think of no contribution more meaningful to numismatics today.”
A collector of U.S. 2-cent pieces, medals and “curved” coins, Uram is the recipient of numerous numismatic awards recognizing his dedication to the hobby:
- ANA Presidential Award (2011)
- Radford Stearns Memorial Award for Achievement in Exhibiting (2014)
- Radford Stearns Memorial Award for People’s Choice exhibit (2015)
- Numismatic Ambassador (2017)
- ANA Glenn Smedley Memorial Award (2019)
- ANA Medal of Merit (2020)
A more detailed article about Tom Uram and his contributions to the hobby will appear in the August issue of The Numismatist, the official publication of the ANA.
